Super Short Summary

In Vivian Vande Velde's Heir Apparent, Giannine Bellisario receives a gift certificate on her fourteenth birthday to play a virtual reality RPG at the Rasmussem Center. Giannine chooses the game "Heir Apparent," where she must survive as the illegitimate heir to a throne, facing numerous challenges and threats to win. When protesters disable the game's failsafe, Giannine must complete it quickly to avoid brain damage, encountering various obstacles and characters in her quest to secure her place as royalty.